Multi-analytical Investigation of Early Bronze Age Cooking Pot (Tilbaşar, Turkey)

Abstract

Archaeometric studies, which covers the investigation of archaeological findings by analytical analyses, are in a great demand particularly in last decades. This type of works represent a convenient and directive data basis in terms of achieving substantial knowledge regarding the characteristic ceramics of different civilizations. Being parallel to this, it was aimed to investigate the cooking pot (Early Bronze Age) from Tilbaşar Höyük (Gaziantep, Turkey) in an archaeometric way using multi-analytical methods within the present study. For that purpose, 14 representative samples of cooking pot were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), petrography (optical microscopy), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and X-ray diffraction techniques. It was intended to identify the raw material contents and production features (e.g. firing temperature range, micro structural/chemical characteristics) of the ceramics. Considering the whole results, it was seen that the evident presence of primary calcite, and also the absence (or very limited degree) of vitrification in the micro structure suggested a firing temperature range of 700-800oC for the potsherds. Additionally, determination of the carbonates through the multi analytical techniques implied that the ceramics should have been produced by calcareous clays. In this context, it was predicted that the potsherds likely belong to a local and/or regional production (considering the geological formations of the region).

Keywords

• Archaeometry,Materials Characterization

References

1. [1] Loehman R.E. 1993. Characterization of Ceramics, Butterworth-Heinemann, 312p, Reed-Elsevier Inc.
2. [2] Issi A., Raškovska A., Kara A., Grupce O., Minčeva-Šukarova B., Okyar F. 2011. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy of slip layers of Hellenistic ceramic wares from Dorylaion/Turkey, Ceram. Int., (37):1879-1887.
3. [3] Bayazit M., Çağine D., Genç E. 2019. Early Bronze Age plain simple wares (tripod vessels) of Tilbeshar (Turkey): Archaeometric characterization, Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science, 8 (2): 484-495
4. [4] Bayazit M., Ekinci O. 2019. Investigation of ring burnished pottery samples from Tilbaşar Mound (Gaziantep, Turkey) using multiple analysis techniques, Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Science and Engineering, (19): 193-202.
5. [5] Tilbaşar Höyük. http://www.tilbasarhoyuk.com (Access date: 19.04.2018).
6. [6] Rye O.S. 1981. Pottery Technology, Taraxacum, 150p, Washington.
7. [7] Arnold D.E. 1985. Ceramic theory and cultural process, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne, Sydney.
8. [8] Engin A. 2003. Orta Fırat Bölgesi’nin Eski Tunç Çağı seramiği içerisinde Gre Virike buluntularının yeri ve önemi, Hacettepe Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Doktora Tezi, 764s, Ankara.

9. [9] Maritan L., Mazzoli C., Nodari L., Russo U. 2005. Second Iron Age grey pottery from Este (northeastern Italy): study of provenance and technology, Applied Clay Science, 29: 31-44. [10] Shoval S. 2003. Using FT-IR spectroscopy for study of calcareous ancient ceramics, Optical Materials, 24: 117-122.
10. [11] Broekmans T., Adriaens A., Pantos E. 2004. Analytical investigations of cooking pottery from Tell Beydar (ne-Syria), Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B, 226: 92-97.
11. [12] Rice P.M. 1987. Pottery analysis: A sourcebook, University of Chicago Press, 584p, Chicago.
12. [13] Loftfield T.C. 1976. A Brief and True Report: An Archaeological Interpretation of the Southern North Carolina Coast, University of North Carolina, Department of anthropology, Ph.D. dissertation, Chapel Hill.
13. [14] Saffer M.1979. Aboriginal Clay Resource Utilization of the Georgia Coast, University of Florida, Department of anthropology, M.A. thesis, Gainesville.
14. [15] Maravelaki-Kalaitzaki P., Kallithrakas-Kontos N. 2003. Pigment and terracotta anlyses of Hellenistic figurines in Crete, Analytica Chimica Acta, 497 (1-2): 209-225.
15. [16] Mazzocchin G.A., Agnoli F., Colpo I., 2003. Investigation of roman age pigments found on pottery fragments, Analytica Chimica Acta, 478 (1): 147-161.
16. [17] Edreira M.C., Feliu M.J., Fernández-Lorenzo C., Martin J. 2001. Roman wall paintings characterization from Cripta del Museo and Alcazaba in Mérida (Spain): chromatic, energy dispersive X-ray flurescence spectroscopic, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis, Analytica Chimica Acta, 434 (2): 331-345.
17. [18] Farmer V.C. 1974. Infrared Spectra of Minerals, Mineralogical Society, 539p London.
18. [19] Shoval S., Beck P., Yadin E. 2006. The ceramic technology used in the manufac-ture of Iron Age pottery from Galilee, in Geomaterials in cultural heritage, Edited by Maggetti M, Messiga B, The British Geological Society Publishing House, London, Vol. 257, 101-117.
19. [20] Fabbri B., Gualtieri S., Shoval S. 2014. The presence of calcite in archeological ceramics. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., (34): 1899-1911.
20. [21] Afremow L.C., Vandeberg J.T. 1966. High resolution spectra of inorganic pigments and extenders in the mid infrared region from 1500 cm–1 to 200 cm–1, J. Paint Technol., (38): 169-202.
21. [22] Kieffer S.W. 1979. Thermodynamics and lattice vibrations of minerals: 2. Vibrational characteristics of silicates, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., (17): 20-34.
22. [23] Ellid M.S., Murayed Y.S., Zoto M.S., Music S., Popovi S. 2003. Chemical reduction of hematite with starch, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 258 (2): 299-305.
23. [24] Jeans C.,Wilson M.J. (ed.) 1994. Clay Mineralogy: Spectroscopic and Chemical Determinative Methods, Chapman & Hall, 367p, London.
24. [25] Van der Weerd J., Smith G.D., Firth S., Clark R.J.H. 2004. Identification of black pigments on prehistoric Southwest American potsherds by infrared and Raman microscopy, J. Archaeol. Sci., (31): 1429-1437.
25. [26] Drebushchak V.A., Mylnikova L.N., Drebushchak T.N., Boldyrev V.V. 2005. The investigations of ancient pottery, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, (82): 617-626.
26. [27] Palanivel R., Kumar U.R. 2011. Thermal And Spectroscopic Analysis Of Ancient Potteries, Rom. Journ. Phys., 56 (1-2):195-208.
27. [28] Krapukaitytė A., Tautkus S., Kareiva A., Zalieckienė E. 2008. Thermal analysis–a powerful tool for the characterization of pottery, Chemija, (19): 4-8.
28. [29] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/Antakya.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
29. [30] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/sanliurfa.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
30. [31] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/adiyaman.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
31. [32] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/osmaniye.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
32. [33] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/kilis.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
33. [34] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/kahramanmaras.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)
34. [35] MTA. http://www.mta.gov.tr/v3.0/sayfalar/hizmetler/maden-haritalari/gaziantep.pdf (Access date: 19.10.2018)